CHAP. XV.
Of divers Creatures that have a real existence in Nature, and yet by reason of their wonderous properties, or seldom being seen, have been taken for Spirits, and Devils.
Hist. 1.
Before we come to speak of Apparitions in general, we shall premise some few things by way of caution, because there is not one subject (that we know of) in the World that is liable to so many mistakes, by reason of the prepossessed fancies of men, in adhering to those fictions of Spirits, Fairies, Hobgoblins, and many such like, which are continually heightned by ignorant education, and vain melancholy fears. We shall not mention those many apparitions that are frequently practised by forgery and confederacy, for base ends and interests, as have been commonly used in the time of Popery, and attempted in our dayes, though with little success. As also by other persons for base lucre or worse intents, of which we have known some notorious ones that have been discovered. Neither shall we speak of those feigned ones that have been practised to hide thievery and roguery, as we once knew that certain persons who stole mens sheep in the night, did carry them away upon a thing made like a Bier covered with a white sheet, by which means those that saw them took it to be an apparition, and so durst not come near them, and so the most part of the people of 3 or 4 Villages were terrified, and the report was far spred that it was a walking spirit, and yet at last discovered to be a cunning piece of knavery to hide their theft withal. Neither shall we say any thing of those ludicrous apparitions that are often practised to terrifie, abuse, and affright others. But we shall here give the relation of some strange creatures, that seldom being seen or found, have induced more ignorant persons to take them for Demons, and these we shall enumerate in this order.
Hist. 2.
Centur.1.Hist.9.p.18.
1. It hath been, and still is a strong opinion amongst the vulgars and Witchmongers also, that Witches transforming themselves into diverse shapes, did in the night time enter into peoples houses, and then and there suck the breasts or navils of infants in their Beds or Cradles, that thereby they were weakned or consumed away; which inveterate opinion was the more firmly believed, because children that at night were very well, in the morningwere found to be very ill, and to have been sucked in the places aforesaid. To clear which point take this Observation from the learned pen ofThomas Bartholinusthat was Physician toFrederickKing ofDenmark, in English thus. “Three infants (he saith) of thePastor FionensatLyckisholm, which is a noble Mannor belonging to the very illustrious LordChristian Thomæus Sehsted, the Kings Chancellor,Eques Auratus, and a most renowned Senator ofDenmark, myMecænas, that were sleeping in their accustomed Chamber, were not long after troubled with an unwonted bewailing and inquietude, that they felt themselves to be sucked or milked of something. The nipples of their breasts being diligently handled by the Parents did confirm the Childrens suspicion, because they did hang out like a Womans that did give suck. And to prevent this fascination, the nipples of the breasts were anointed with preservatives against poyson and other bitter things. Hereupon their Navils were so worn with vehement suction, that not only they were prominent or did hang out, but also did as it were shew the greatness of the mouth that had sucked by the impression remaining. But the Infants being carried forth of the Chamber, did from thenceforth rest free from any suction, especially being carried in peoples arms. And thisCaprimulgusor Goat-milker, is byBelloniussaid to be inCreteof the bigness of a Cuckow, being very hurtful to the Goats, insomuch that it sucketh milk from their dugs on the nights.” By which we may plainly understand, how Creatures that are but seldom seen, or whose properties are unknown, may easily effect those things that ignorant heads may impute unto Witchcraft.
De quadr.l.1.p.862.
Isai. 34. 14.
Isai. 13. 21.
Levit. 17. 7.
Deut. 32. 17.
Psal. 106. 37.
2 Chron. 11. 15.
2. It is no less believed by many, that those kind of Creatures which are called Satyres are but a kind of Demons; for learned Gesner reckoning them to be a kind of Apes, doth tell us this: “Even as (he saith) the ApesCynocephali, or with Dogs-heads, have given the occasion of the Fable, that some have thought such to be men: So Satyrs being also a rare kind of Apes, and of greater admiration, some have believed them to be Devils: also of some men deluded by the Poets and Painters, as also Statuaries, who have feigned that they had Goats feet and horns, the more to augment the admiration and superstition, they have been thought Devils: when in Ape-Satyres there is no such thing to be seen.” And this opinion hath been the more strengthened because the most of the Translators have in the Old Testament rendered the wordשָׂעִיר(which properly signifieth an happy man or beast) a Goat, a Satyre, (asGen.27.ver.11.Esau my Brother is a hairy man; where the very same word is used) Demon, or Devil. But it is plain that it did and doth signifie no more but only Satyrs, as will appear by these reasons. 1. First, as our English Translators have truly rendred it in that ofIsaiah,And the Satyre shall cry unto his fellow: for it is certainly related, both by ancient and modern Navigators, that in those desolate Islands where there are store of them, theywill upon the nights make great shouting and crying, and calling one unto another. And in another place of the same Prophet it is said by the same Translators,and Satyres shall dance there; dancing being one of the properties of that hairy Creature, as a thing it is much delighted with, and so are but Satyres that are natural Creatures and not Devils. 2. And though the same Translators have rendred the plural of the same word, by the name Devils, yet it there properly signifieth also Satyres; for though in another place it be said;they sacrificed to devils, not to God, and so again by the Psalmist, forthey sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils; where in both places the word isשֵדִיםvastatoribus, to the destroyers or to Devils; because in those Idols the Devils were worshipped, and thereby destroyed the souls of men: 3. Yet it is manifest that their Idols were formed in the shape of Satyres, in a most terrible manner; for the late and most credible travellers that have been in those parts ofAsia, where those Idolatries are still upholden, do unanimously relate that they make their Images or Idols that they worship, as terrible and frightful as they can devise, as may be seen in the relations of the Travels ofVincent le Blanc,Mandelslo, andFerdinand Mendez Pinto, and MrHerbertour Countryman gives us the Idol of the Bannyans in the ugly shape of a monstrous Satyre. 4. So that though this worshipping and sacrificing, in respect of its abominableness, filthiness and Idolatrousness, was yielded to Devils, which spiritually and invisibly ruled in these Children of disobedience, and was the Author of all those delusions and impostures; yet it doth no where appear, that it was Demons in the corporeal shape of Satyres (as many have erroneously supposed) no more than the golden Calves thatJeroboammade, were real Devils: but these Idols were made in the figure or shape of Satyrs or hairy Creatures, as saith the Text:And he ordained him Priests for the high places, and for the hairy Idols or Satyres,and for the Calves that he had made. It is the same Hebrew word here that our English Translators render Devils, that in the two former places ofIsaiahthey translate Satyres; and as the Calves are not rendred Devils, why should the Images that were like Satyres be translated so? Surely the Devil was as much in the Calves, and as much worshipped in those dumb Idols as he was in the dumb and dead Idols or Images of the Satyres, and so no more reason to call the one Devils than the other. But that which totally overthrows the conceit that they should be real Devils in corporeal shapes and figures, is this, that both the Calves and the Images of these Satyres were made byJeroboam: now it is manifest that he could not make a real Devil, but only Images of Calves and Satyres, wherein and whereby the Devils might be worshipped in those Idolatrous ways.
Hist. 3.
Observ. Medic.lib.3.c.56.p.283.
So that it is most apparent, that these Satyres being seldom seen and of strange qualities, have made many to believe that they were Demons; nay it seems their Images and Pictures have been taken for Devils, and yet are but meer natural Creatures, and by learned menaccounted a kind of Apes, which we shall now prove by an undeniable instance or two; and first this from the pen of that learned PhysicianNicholaus Tulpius, who saith thus: “In our remembrance (he saith) there was an Indian Satyre brought fromAngola; and presented as a gift toFrederick HenryPrince ofAurange. This Satyre was four-footed and from the humane shape which it seems to bear, it is called of the IndiansOrang antang,homo silvestris, a wild man, and of the AfricansQuoias morron, expressing in longitude a Child of three years old, and in crassitude, one of six years. It was of body neither fat nor lean, but square, most able and very swift. And of its joints so firm, and the Muscles so large, that it durst undertake and could do any thing; on the foreparts altogether smooth, and rough behind, and covered with black hairs. Its face did resemble a man, but the nose broad and crooked downwards, rugged and a toothless female. But the ears were not different from humane shape. As neither the breast, adorned on both sides with a swelling dug (for it was of the feminine Sex) the belly had a very deep navil; and the joints, both those above and those below, had such an exact similitude with man, that one egg doth not seem more like another. Neither was there awanting a requisite commissure to the arm, nor the order of fingers to the hands, nor an humane shape to the thumb, or a prop of the legs to the thighs, or of the heel to the foot. Which fit and decent form of the members, was the cause that for most part it did go upright: neither did it lift up any kind of weight less heavily than remove it easily.
When it was about to drink it would hold the handle of the Kan with the one hand, and put the other under the bottom of the Cup, then would it wipe off the moysture left upon its lips, not less neatly than thou shouldest see the most delicate Courtier. Which same dexterity it did observe when it went to bed. For lying her head upon the Pillow, and fitly covering her body with the Cloaths, it did hide it self no otherwise, than if the most delicate person had laid there.
Hist. 4.
Moreover the King ofSamback(he saith) did one time tell our KinsmanSamuel Blomart, that these kind of Satyres, especially the Males in the Iland ofBorneo, have so great boldness of mind and such a strong compaction of Muscles, that they have often forceably set upon armed men; and not only upon the weak sex of Women and Girls; with the flagrant desire of which they are so inflamed, that catching them often they abuse them. For they are highly prone to lust (which is common to these, with the lustful Satyres of the ancients) yea sometimes so keen and salacious, that therefore the Indian Women do eschew the Woods and Groves as worse than a Dog or a Snake; in which these impudent animals do lie hid. And that this lascivious animal is found in the Eastern Mountains ofIndia; as also inAfrica, betweenSierra,Liona, and the Promontory of the Mountain, where (perhaps) werethose places wherePliniuslib.5.cap.5. affirmeth that upon the nights there was seen to shine frequent Fires of the Ægipanes, and to abound with the lasciviousness of the Satyres, who do love craggy Dens and Caves, and shun the society of mankind, being a salacious, hairy, four-footed Creature, with human shape and a crooked nose. But that the foot of this Creature neither hath hoofs nor the body every where hairs, but only the head, shoulders and back. The rest of the parts are smooth, and the Ears are not sharp.”
Enq. into vulg. err.l.5.p.271.
So that from hence it is undeniably true, that there are such Creatures existent in nature, and have been either taken for Devils or the Apparitions of Demons in this shape of Satyres, as DoctorBrownhath well observed in these words: “A conceit there is (he saith) that the Devil commonly appeareth with a cloven foot or hoof, wherein although it seem excessively ridiculous, there may be somewhat of truth; and the ground thereof at first might be his frequent appearing in the shape of a Goat, which answers that description. This was the opinion of ancient Christians concerning the Apparitions ofPans,FaunsandSatyres, and in this form we read of one that appeared untoAntonyin the Wilderness. The same is also confirmed from expositions of holy Scripture; for whereas it is said; Thou shalt not offer unto Devils, the original word isSehhirim, that is rough and hairy Goats, because in that shape the Devil most often appeared, as is expounded by the Rabbins, asTremelliushath also explained.”
But saving the reputation of learned SaintHieromeand DrBrown, it is but a supposition unproved that ever the Devil appeared in the shape of a Goat, the rise of the opinion was only because the Devil was worshipped in an Idol made in the shape of a Goat.
Enquir. into vulg. errors.l.4.c.11.p.207.
Mund. Subter.l.8Sect.4.c.4.p.101.
Idea Idear. operatr.c.6.
Hist. 5.
Demonstr. Thes.p.679.
3. In a few ages past when Popish ignorance did abound, there was no discourse more common (which yet is continued amongst the vulgar people) than of the apparition of certain Creatures which they called Fayries, that were of very little stature, and being seen would soon vanish and disappear. And these were generally believed to be some kind of Spirits or Demons, andParacelsusheld them to be a kind of middle Creatures, and called themnon-Adamicks, as not being of the race ofAdam; but there are Authors of great credit and veracity, that affirm, there have been Nations of such people called Pygmies. And though DoctorBrownhath learnedly and elegantly handled the question, “Whether there have been or are any such dwarfish race of mankind, as but of three spans, not considering them singly but nationally, or not, and hath brought the most probable arguments that well can be, to prove that there are not nor have been any such race of people called Pygmies, yet doth he moderately conclude in these words. There being thus (he saith) no sufficient confirmation of their verity, some doubt may arise concerning their possibility; wherein, since it is not defined in what dimensions the soul may exerciseher faculties, we shall not conclude impossibility, or that there might not be a race of Pygmies, as there is sometimes of Giants, and so may take in the opinion ofAustine, and his CommentatorLudovicus Vives. And thoughKircheruswith his wonted impudence do conclude in these words:”Fabulosa itaq; sunt omnia, quæ de hujusmodi Pygmæis veteres Geographi à simplici populo sola relatione descripta tradiderunt: Yet (I say) notwithstanding these negative arguments, I give the relation of others (that are of as great or greater credit) in the affirmative. And thus much is affirmed by that most sagacious and learned personMarcus Marci, a late Physician of no mean judgment, who saith thus:Quicquid tamen sit de his, Pygmæos & olim fuisse, & nunc esse affirmamus. And besides the testimony ofAristotle,Solinus,Pomponius Mela, andÆlian, he relateth these. “But those (he saith) that have in our age viewed the World, the same do testifie also, that there are yet Pygmies in the Island ofAruchet, one of theMoluccas, and in the IsleCophi, and suchPigasettaaffirmeth that he saw.” And though DoctorBrownseem to sleight it, yet (according to the Proverb)one eye-witness is more to be credited than ten that have it but by the ear.Odericusin his History ofIndiadoth report also, “that there are such people of about three spans high,” which also is confirmed by the laterOdericus. And to these affirmative proofs we shall add that of the learned Philosopher and PhysicianBaptista Van Helmont, in English thus. “A Wine Merchant (he saith) of our Country, a very honest man, sailing sometimes to theCanariesor Fortunate Islands, being asked of me his serious opinion and judgment upon certain Creatures, which there the Children as oft as they would did bring home, and did name themTudesquillos, orGermanulos, that is little men; (the Germans call themEard-Manlins) for they were dead Carkases dried almost three foot long, which any one of the Boys did easily carry in one hand, and were of an human shape: But the whole dead Carkase was transparent like Parchment, and the bones were flexible as grisles. Also the bowels and intestines were to be seen, holden against the sun, which, when after I knew to be a certain truth, from the Spaniards born there, I considered, that in these days the off-spring of the Pygmies were there destroyed.”
From whence all understanding and unpartial judgments may clearly perceive, that these kind of Creatures have been really existent in the World and are and may be so still in Islands and Mountains that are uninhabited, and that they are no real Demons, ornon-Adamick Creatures, that can appear and become invisible when they please, asParacelsusthinketh. But that either they were truly of human race endowed with the use of reason and speech (which is most probable) or at least that they were some little kind of Apes or Satyres, that having their secret recesses and holes in the Mountains, could by their agility and nimbleness soon be in or out like Conies, Weazels, Squirrels, and the like.
Centur.2.
Histor.11. 169.
Hist. 6.
4. It hath been no less a mistake about those Fishes that are calledTritones,Syrenes, Meirmaids, or Marine, and Sea-Men, and Women, which have been by many supposed and taken to be Spirits, or Demons, and commonly Nymphs, when indeed and truth they are reall creatures, as these examples do make manifest. The first of which we shall recite from the faithful pen of that learned AnatomistThomas Bartholinus, who was Physician toFrederickthe third King ofDenmark, in these Englished words: “Various things (he saith) of Meirmaids are extant delivered in the monuments of the Ancients, that are partly false, partly true. It is not far from a Fable that they held, that they did imitate the voices of Men and Women. But that there are beasts found in the Sea, with humane faces (he saith) I shall not deny. But I will not (he saith) sum up the accounts of the ancients. For they are full of the stories of Meirmaids. Amongst the later Authors, these have here and there handled this argument,Scaliger(in lib.2.Histor. Anim.t.108.)Rondoletius,Licetus(de Spont. vin. ort.),Marcus Marci(de Ideis)P. Boistuan(Histor. Gall. prod.T.1.c.18.) AtEnchuyseninHolland(he saith) the shape of a certain Meirmaid is to be seen painted, that formerly had been cast upon the shore, by the force of the waters. It is (he saith) in the mouth of our common people, that a Meirmaid was taken inDenmark, that did speak, foretel things to come, and spin. A Father of the Society ofJesusreturning forth ofIndiatoRome, had seen a Sea-Man there adorned with an Episcopal Mitre, who did seem to have in the next corner, hardly born his captivity; but being let loose, and turned into the Sea, did seem to render thanks for his liberty, by bowing of his body before he went under water, which (he saith) the Jesuit was wont to tell toCorvinusthe elder, as his Son (he saith) told me atRome.” But this being but a story told toBartholinusat the second hand, and but primarily from the mouth of a Jesuit (who doubtless had some design in it) I leave it to the judgment of the Wise and Prudent. But he proceeds thus. “It is (he saith) most certain that fishes are to be found in the Ocean, that represent Terrestrial Animals in shape: As the Sea-Fox, the Wolf, the Sea-Calf, the Dog, the Horse,&c.Therefore why should we deny humane shape to Sea-monsters? Certainly also in the earth there are Apes, which wanting reason, do express the external shape and gestures of Man. All Sea-monsters of this sort we referr (he saith) to the kind ofPhocæor Sea-Calves. There was (he saith) in the age we live in a Sea-Man taken by the Merchants of theWest-IndiaCompany, and dissected atLeidenbyPeter Pavius,John de Laetbeing present my friend (he saith) and while he lived, a great and most knowing person of the things ofAmericaand of Nature. The head and the breast even as far as the navil was of an humane shape, but from the navil even unto the extremities, it was deformed flesh, without the sign of a tail. But that I may not (hesaith) seem to impose upon the Reader, the hands and ribs are to be found in my Study or Closet, which I owe to the kindness of the praisedLatius. We have (he saith) annexed the Picture of both, as well of the Meirmaid erect, as of the image of it swimming, that we might satisfie the dubitation of all men. The hand doth consist of five fingers, as ours do, with as many articulations as ours, but that only is singular, that all the bones of the fingers are broader and compressed, and a membrane doth joyn them together in course, as in volatiles, as Geese, Ducks,&c.which do help to stretch forth the foot in the water. The extremity of the two middle fingers are broader, the extremities of the other two sharp. Theradiusand cubit are very short, for the commodiousness of swimming, scarce the length of four fingers breadth. Neither is the draught of the shoulder more ample. The ribs are long and thick, almost exceeding common humane ribs a third part.
“Of the ribs (he saith) are beads turned or thrown, a present remedy for the pain of the Hemorrhoides, which the praisedLatiushath observed by experience. Also (he saith) that Bracelets being made of the bones of this kind ofPhocascarried toRome, applied to the wrist do appease the Hemicrany, and swimming of the head, which comes again, if they be laid away, as (he saith) the most illustrious NoblemanCassianus à Puteo, (most worthy of Roman Purple) hath told me. The same NoblePuteus(he saith) hath shewed me the picture of a Meirmaid in his Closet, which not many years before, was driven to the shore ofMalta. A certain Spaniard (he saith) told me, that Meirmaids were seen inIndiahaving the Genital members of Women, like those of humane kind, so that the Fishers do bind themselves with an Oath to the Magistrate, that they have no copulation with them.Bernardinus Ginnarus(lib.1.c.9.de Indico itinere, edit. Neap.1641.) doth relate that Meirmaids are seen, in the vast RiverCuama, near the head ofGood-hope, which in the middle superior part are like to the form of men, that is, with round head, but immediately joyned to the breast, without a neck, with ears altogether like ours, and so their eyes, lips and teeth. And that their dugs being pressed do send forth most white milk.”
Therefore he concludeth: “There is (he saith) so great difference of the form of Meirmaids, with the Ancients and Moderns, that it is no wonder, that some do account them figments. We have (he saith) the hands to be seen with eyes, and we shew the Meirmaids to be such, as in truth they are seen to be. Neither do the hands and ribs deceive, whose Pictures we have given framed according to the truth of nature.”
Hist. 7.
Genial. dier.l.3.c.8.p.134.
5. But besides these there are other Fishes or Sea-monsters, that in all parts resembled Men and Women, as these examples make manifest.Alexander ab Alexandro, a person of great learning and experience, relateth: “That inEpirusaTritonor Sea-Man wasfound, who forth of the Sea did ravish Women being alone upon the shore: But being taken by cunning, he did resemble a Man with all his members, but did refuse meat being offered, so that he died with hunger and wasting, as being in a strange element.
Hist. 8.
Lib. de verit. fid. Christ.l.2.
6. AlsoLudovicus Vivesdoth tell us this story: “in our age (he saith) with theHollanders, a Sea-Man was seen of many, who also was kept there above two years, he was mute, and then begun to speak: But being twice smitten with the Plague, he is let loose to the Sea rejoicing and leaping.”
Hist. 9.
Vid. Ideam Idear. operat.c.6.
7. In the year of our Lord 1403. there was taken a Sea-woman in a lake ofHolland, thrown thither forth of the Sea, and was carried into the City ofHaerlem; she suffered her self to have garments put upon her, and admitted the use of bread, milk and such like things: Also she learned to spin, and to do many other things after the manner of Women, also she did devoutly bend her knees to the image of Christ crucified, being docible to all things, which she was commanded by her Master, but living there many years, she alwayes remained mute.
Hist. 10.
Stows Annal.p.157.
Britan.p.412.
8. To these we shall conclusively add one story of sufficient credit from our own English Annals, which is this: “In the year 1187. being the 33th year of the Reign ofHenrythe second, near untoOrefordinSuffolk, certain Fishers of the Sea took in their nets a fish having the shape of a man in all points, which fish was kept byBartholomew de Glanvile, Custos of the Castle ofOreford, in the same Castle, by the space of six months and more for a wonder; he spake not a word. All manner of meats he did gladly eat, but most greedily raw fish after he had crushed out all the moisture. Oftentimes he was brought to the Church where he shewed no tokens of adoration. At length when he was not well looked to, he stole away to the Sea, and never after appeared.” The learned Antiquary Mr.Camdentells this same story fromRadulphus Coggeshall, an ancient writer, and that “Capillos habebat, barbam prolixam & pineatam, circa pectus nimium pilosus erat, & hispidus: and concludeth:Quicquid nascatur in parte naturæ ulla, & in mari esse, & non omnino commentitium est.”
Lib. de Spectr. prim. part.c.11.p.61.
By all which examples we may be rationally satisfied, that though these creatures have a real existence in nature, yet because of their strange natures, shapes and properties, or by reason of their being rarely seen, they have been and often are not only by the common people but even by the learned taken to be Devils, Spirits or the effects of Inchantment and Witchcraft. And therefore men that would judge aright must take heed that they be not deceived and imposed upon by relations of this nature, and also of all such things as may be acted by Imposture and confederacy, and those other Physical things that are brought to pass by natural causes, divers sorts of which are recited byLudovicus Lavaterusvery largely, to which I recommend those that desire further satisfaction in those particulars.